ROBERT Hunter ("End the free ride for church rates" Letters 5/8) correctly identifies the problem of the tax-free status enjoyed by religions. The solution, as the Ken Henry taxation review pointed out, is to stop handing our money to any organisation that calls itself a religion and grant it, instead, to organisations that do valuable community work - as most of the mainstream churches do.
American-style mega-churches which, according to several ex-pastors quoted in the press recently, are making millions, would have to take their hands out of our pockets. They could still get a share of taxpayers' money, but only if they got rid of their tax-free lifestyles, rolled up their sleeves and started doing some good, honest community work, like caring for society's downtrodden and disadvantaged.
Glen Coulton
Marmong Point
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